First NASA MA Race at VIR

#41

nasaregistrar wrote:

[quote]Found some pics online:
http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/NASA-VIR-FEB07/

Carlton’s car is going the wrong way/…[/quote]

good find! Thanks.

#42

DMoses wrote:

When you guys paint the chrome trip or metal early bumpers, anything special to prep so the paint adheres well or do most just leave it chrome/polished? I’m thinking chrome-y would be pretty pimp-y, but then again one bright color would be cool too. How about the trim strip and black plastic around the bumpers - just paint it all?

#43

Peach Auto Painting (like Maaco, but headquartered in Georgia) just sprayed everything indiscriminately. The paint doesn’t stick too well to the rubber side molding, but it seems to stick pretty well to the bumpers and the rubber boots that surround the bumpers. I’m certain those bozos didn’t do any prep work. It might not last, but for $423 out the door, I guess I cannot complain. If you don’t want stuff painted, I’d strip it so they don’t have to mask. Ken Neuhoff (the other orange MA car) even wet-sanded his first and the finish looked really nice.

Sasha

#44

For painting plastic there is some really good pre-paint stuff called bulldog. .

#45

that’s cool, here is more info on the bulldog stuff
http://www.autobodypro.com/tektips/articles/plastic_sec.htm

MikeD wrote:

#46

Any other race reports?

Regards, Robert Patton

#47

Patton wrote:

[quote]Any other race reports?

Regards, Robert Patton[/quote]In the enduro…in the E2 class…there were no miatas on the podium…

#48

Patton wrote:

[quote]Any other race reports?

Regards, Robert Patton[/quote]

Thanks for the tips on the prep. Sorry for the thread jack.

#49

glad you guys found my photos.

here is my favorite, although I know most have seen it

#50

Somehow, it just doesn’t look right having "rookie" anywhere close to your name. :wink:

#51

All in all it was a great weekend. I drove up Friday morning for the test/tune day trying to shave the 3 seconds/lap that I need to be competitive with this strong SE30 field. I seem to have come up short on my goal but still had fun none the less.

I qualified 14th for Saturdays sprint race and lost 5 positions at the green flag due to the fact that I had just accelerated to catch the pack ahead of me for the start and was on my brakes as the green flag dropped. The pack behind me was still on the gas trying to catch the pack for the start and had a ton of momentum to blow right by me. Lesson learned: be ready for the green flag at all times.

Sunday I had started 18th due to my poor race on Sat. and I believe that I finished 16th. The enduro race qualifying was no better as I qualified 23rd getting trapped behind a factory five car. Lesson learned: roll through hot pits to open up clean track.

My co-driver, Matt Russell and I were scrambling last minute adjusting the sway bar and changing brake pads. I pulled up to the false grid 1 minute before the start of the race. Lesson learned: don’t wait until the last minute to work on the car. Our race ended almost as soon as it started. I was getting a run up on a spec miata out of hogpen and moved off line to the right to pass. I was well into the staight accelerating pretty hard when I hydroplaned causing the car to loop fast and hard to the right. As I am sliding sideways I can see the tires at the end of the wall dividing the front straight and pit entrance. I just miss being t-boned by the tires and continue to rotate almost backwards when I slam into the guardrail with the front left fender which causes the rear left fender to swing around and contact the rail.

I didn’t really feel anything and the car is a pretty banged up but mostley cosmetic. In hind sight we should have made the car drivable and tried to get back into the race but I wasn’t really in that mindset at the time. Lesson learned: enduro races take a lot of preperation especially in the rain.

I want to say a big thanks to Dan Smith for coming up Sunday in the rain and helping out with preparing the car, setting up the pit box, and getting my car back on the trailer. Thanks also to Matt Russell who unfortunately didn’t get to drive any in the enduro but was a huge help in planning and preparing for it. I highly recommend Matt if anyone is looking for a standup guy to co-drive.

I hope to be back on track soon, maybe in time for CMP in May.

#52

From Team Yellow and Team Green…

The Spec E30 guys made me very proud during the Friday Comp School. During the end-of-day discussions, all the instructors had nothing but compliments.

Saturday practice was interesting for me. The car was very loose (oversteer) and I had guessed that the tires wouldn’t build much pressure in the cold. I was wrong.

Qualifying was better (adjusted pressures) but the car was still too loose. 5th on the grid.

The race kind of came to me. I started out a bit sloppy but concentrated on being smooth and then drove much better while racing closely with the front runners. Some of the others made a few mistakes allowing me to get by and others were involved in metal-to-metal incidents, which we are still working through, after I found myself in second place. This made keeping the position a bit easier.

The car was good, I drove about as well as I can, and the result was a strong second place. John never got away completely and admitted that I was slowly making up some ground, although I was never a threat to his win. A good day though.

Sunday morning was fun. I was surprised to start in 7th (positions based on fastest race lap time from Saturday) but evidently, 6 drivers were quicker. The track was heavy-damp so I went out on drys. It started to sprinkle on the grid (uh-oh) but never got bad. If anything, the backstraight started to dry some during the race.

Because of a few minor mistakes ahead of me, I was able to get up to 3rd…until Mike came barreling past at turn one. I thought he was going off but he kept it on the track. He got away pretty quickly but I reeled him back in by the finish. One more lap and it would have been anyone’s game, for third. Congrats to Vic and Chris for first and second.

The afternoon enduro was crazy. Those were, by far, the worst conditions I have ever experienced in my 14 years of club racing. On the first green flag lap I touched the brake pedal while doing about 90 on the backstraight and the car immediately swaped ends. While sliding sidways down the grass hill, I slipped it into reverse and started moving backward. I got it back on the track and took it easy for the next several laps. Later in my stint, they told me that my lap times matched the front runners, which helped the ego recover somewhat.

At the pitstop, I almost stopped Sasha from putting in the second jug of fuel. If I had, we probably would have won the race, according to the clock. However, Carlton drove very well during his stint and we finished a strong second. Many compliments to David and Daniel Herrington for their good driving and victory.

Thanks again to all the Spec E30 drivers and I look forward to racing with everyone in March.

Carter

#53

screwynewy wrote:

[quote]I didn’t really feel anything and the car is a pretty banged up but mostley cosmetic. In hind sight we should have made the car drivable and tried to get back into the race but I wasn’t really in that mindset at the time. Lesson learned: enduro races take a lot of preperation especially in the rain.

I want to say a big thanks to Dan Smith for coming up Sunday in the rain and helping out with preparing the car, setting up the pit box, and getting my car back on the trailer. Thanks also to Matt Russell who unfortunately didn’t get to drive any in the enduro but was a huge help in planning and preparing for it. I highly recommend Matt if anyone is looking for a standup guy to co-drive.
[/quote]
Thanks for the kind words, Ken. I hope we get another shot at it soon.

While we’re giving Oscar speeches, I’d also like to thank some folks.

Firstly, thanks to Ken for letting me drive his Incredible Orange Wonder all weekend… I am in love with that car and my heart broke when it got nudged. We were relieved to see you were physically fine. Further thanks go to Dan Smith for providing first-class support during very adverse conditions… I also owe you one. And, finally, thanks to Carter for patiently teaching me how to communicate via race radios.

#54

Carter wrote:

[quote])

Because of a few minor mistakes ahead of me, I was able to get up to 3rd…until Mike came barreling past at turn one. I thought he was going off but he kept it on the track. He got away pretty quickly but I reeled him back in by the finish. One more lap and it would have been anyone’s game, for third. Congrats to Vic and Chris for first and second.

Carter[/quote]

Like I told you I was just trying not to check my mirrors on the last lap and keep my head straight. Another lap and who knows what would have happened. Nice race carter!

p.s. Ken I’m glad to here that your ok, and I hope to see you back out there soon! Those conditions were just insane. I hydroplanned at the kink on the front stretch and went sliding all the way down out of control into turn one. It was not fun!

#55

Carter wrote:

[quote]From Team Yellow and Team Green…
The afternoon enduro was crazy. Those were, by far, the worst conditions I have ever experienced in my 14 years of club racing.
Carter[/quote]

You should have tried it on shaved tires;) Seriouslly. One of the crazier things we’ve done…

SMD

#56

Carter, Hope to see you at Road Atlanta. Will you be there?

#57

Steve:

My March race is VIR. The full course and only 80 minutes from my front door.

I’m planning to see you guys in August though.

B)

Carter

#58

Any word on the results for the Saturday race?

Not that I would finish any higher but I like to download my results.

-Steve